Both Australia and the New World were originally colonized by people who brought with them rich spiritual and symbolic systems. These people successfully adapted to major environmental changes, and these adaptations may be reflected in the paintings and engravings they left on cliff faces and on shelter walls. Despite being a world apart, there are a surprising number of parallels in the production, evolution, and context of rock art on the two continents. Viewing rock art with a global perspective highlights both the similarities and the differences of people surviving under similar circumstances. This lecture will investigate the rock art of both continents, focusing on environmental and cultural context, ethnography, and current research trends.

Featured Lecturer

Andrew Meadows is a specialist in the history, numismatics and epigraphy of the Hellenistic Greek world. From 1995-2007 he was Curator of Greek Coins at the British Museum, in 2007 he was a member of...